The distinct roles of zinc finger CCHC-type (ZCCHC) superfamily proteins in the regulation of RNA metabolism

RNA Biol. 2021 Dec;18(12):2107-2126. doi: 10.1080/15476286.2021.1909320. Epub 2021 May 4.

Abstract

The zinc finger CCHC-type (ZCCHC) superfamily proteins, characterized with the consensus sequence C-X2-C-X4-H-X4-C, are accepted to have high-affinity binding to single-stranded nucleic acids, especially single-stranded RNAs. In human beings 25 ZCCHC proteins have been annotated in the HGNC database. Of interest is that among the family, most members are involved in the multiple steps of RNA metabolism. In this review, we focus on the diverged roles of human ZCCHC proteins on RNA transcription, biogenesis, splicing, as well as translation and degradation.

Keywords: RNA metabolism; Zinc finger CCHC-type superfamily proteins; degradation; splicing; transcription; translation; zinc-knuckle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Consensus Sequence
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Multigene Family
  • Protein Biosynthesis
  • RNA Splicing
  • RNA Stability
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics*
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Zinc Fingers

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos 81630075, 81972585, 81902866) and China’s National Key R&D Programme (NKP) [2019YFE0110600].